Longtime Mentor Bill West Honored on 90th Birthday

GAINESVILLE, Texas – Staff and volunteers at Gainesville State School recently honored longtime volunteer Bill West on his 90th birthday.

West has been enrolled as a volunteer at the Gainesville State School since February 2000, where he is a former employee, having worked as a grounds keeper and the warehouse manager. Since his retirement in 1995 he has helped with Catholic religious education of the youth.

He and his wife Mary organized monthly birthday parties on the dorms, as well as Christmas parties. He has participated and organized many Catholic chapel services, ACTS Ministry retreats, as well as mentored many youth while they were here. West has been very active in his church and in the area volunteer resource council, where he is a past president and vice president.

In 2009, West was part of the Group of the Year awards winner for the work in the ACTs retreat. At the volunteer appreciation banquet in October 2015, West and his wife Mary received the Family Volunteer of the Year award.

West is a wonderful mentor, teacher, and council member. He is always willing to lend a helping hand, share a bit of wisdom or listen to anyone who is in need. He has recruited countless volunteers by serving as a role model and a voice in the community about the need for mentors.

West has slowed down this past year due to health reasons, but he is still an active volunteer on the council. We at Gainesville are lucky to have him.

McFadden Sends Youth Home with Backpack of 'Hope'

By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. “In case a youth i

McFadden Ranch High School Graduates Honored

DENTON, Texas -- The Kiwanis Club of Denton recognized nine youth from McFadden Ranch who earned their high school diploma or equivalency by inviting them to their April 17 noon meeting and luncheon where they were awarded $50 each for their trust fund. Spearheaded by JCO IV Gregory Winn, a longstanding member of the Kiwanis Club of Denton, the event was truly memorable for the youth who attended. They heard a motivational and moving presentation by Texas Rep. Pat Fallon, who completed the Greatest Endurance Challenge – the World Marathon Challenge – tackling seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. He took the challenge after being inspired by Jonny Wade, a 7-year-old boy who battled pediatric cancer and had only one wish – ‘that no other kid ever gets cancer.’ Wade’s death led to the creation of Pediatric Cancer Foundation for which Fallon raised over $250,000 so far. Fallon, who represents a portion of Denton County, said the takeaway from his experience is that we

Teamwork Leads to Arrest Without Incident

GAINESVILLE, Texas – Late at night on July 21, a young man escaped from the Gainesville State School, and an exceptional team effort ensured that he was found the very next day. Employees from TJJD State Programs, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, local law enforcement, and TJJD Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigators from Gainesville, Brownwood, Mart, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin all answered the call that night. Sgt. Gabriel Medellin was contacted at approximately 2:00 a.m., on July 22. He left San Antonio for Gainesville at approximately 6:00 a.m. to meet with other investigators and begin searching for the youth. At approximately 12:25 p.m., Sgt. Medellin observed a male walking down a highway in Gainesville who matched the description of the youth. Sgt. Medellin made contact, confirmed his identity, and made the arrest without incident. He was assisted by OIG Sergeants Walker Willey (Ron Jackson) and Tom Hamilton (Mart). OIG Chief Forrest Mitchell s

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